Trusting a Traitor
by Savvy0712
Summary: Edmund Pevensie was a traitor. Nothing would change that. At long last, he had earned the trust of all of Narnia, but when problems occur, does the Narnians' trust stay strong or is Edmund forever doomed to be a betrayer? Set during the Golden Age of Narnia.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Nightmares**

**Five years into the Golden Age of Narnia**

"_Every traitor belongs to me." The cruel, cold, familiar voice of Jadis echoed menacingly. She held out a white slender finger at him. "You belong to me. No one wants you. You are a betrayer. Narnia is better off without you on the throne. Narnia is better off with you dead."_

_Edmund Pevensie looked around at the thousands of Narnians surrounding him at the camp. He looked at his siblings. They were all young again. Once more, he was a twelve year old boy. He looked at the Narnians' faces- cold, hard, cruel, and merciless, ready to hand him over. He glanced at his siblings' expressions. They glared at him. Even Lucy, loving, caring Lucy, looked at him with disgust. Peter turned to the Witch. "Then you can have him. He is not worthy to be our brother. He is not worthy to be a king."_

_Edmund wanted to scream out, to say something in defense, but his lips could form no words. Peter, his own brother, did not want him. His brother wanted him dead. Edmund turned to the Witch as she glowered over him with a triumphant smirk on her blood red lips. Edmund pleadingly faced Aslan. _He_ would give him mercy. The great Lion lowered His head and turned His back on him. Edmund felt reality sink in. He must face the consequences. He was a traitor._

"Aslan, no! Please, I didn't mean it!"

High King Peter heard the endless, blood curdling screams from across the hall- Edmund's bed chambers. They were expected. Lately, Edmund had been having reoccurring nightmares of his past continually haunting him in the night. They were abruptly ended by the screams. Screams of guilt and remorse. Screams of sorrow and pain. Screams of loneliness and hurt. Peter pulled the sheets back from his bed and groggily strode from his chambers. As he approached Edmund's doorway, he heard whimpering and hopeless sobbing. The nightmare was past. Placing his dignity and kingly formalities aside, Peter walked up to his seventeen year old brother and fellow king and placed his arms around him whispering words of comfort and hope, peace and rest, but most of all, a brother's love.

Edmund woke up the next morning with an excruciating headache- the usual result of his awful nightmares. He dreaded going to sleep at night, knowing what was ahead. He breathed deeply, inhaling the fragrances of breakfast downstairs. He could picture his sisters, bright eyed and cheery instructing the maids and kitchen staff on the meals and chores for the day. Peter was most likely still asleep- the result of comforting his younger brother in the middle of the night. Edmund stiffly crawled out of bed, his dark brown hair sticking up like a haystack and his chocolate brown eyes, blurry and framed with dark circles. He had refused a valet from the beginning of his reign at Cair Paravel, as he was perfectly capable of combing his hair and dressing himself, without assistance. Once done with his morning ritual, while leaving his bed unkempt for the maids to make, Edmund bounded down the grand staircase that lead to the dining room. At the long, wooden, rectangular table, breakfast plates before them, sat his sisters. Susan rolled her sky blue eyes at his late arrival and Lucy, a few years younger than himself, giggled but was then silenced by a look from her occasionally stern older sister who relished formality. Edmund was surprised to see Peter sitting at the head of the table, dressed in regal attire, raising his eyebrows at his brother's tardiness. Edmund had expected his older brother to sleep somewhat longer that morning, due to his own nightmares and restless sleeping. His older siblings were strict on being punctual at meals. They waited for him to sit down until they began eating. Unusual silence surrounded the table, which was broken with an occasional clearing of the throat or cough. Finally, after the five full minutes of strenuous silence, Peter addressed his brother.

"Edmund, you were an hour late this morning. Do you have an excuse for that?"

Edmund flinched at the stern use of his name.

"You know why, Pete." He said quietly using his brother's childhood nickname.

There was no reason to worry the girls over silly issues, like nightmares. He had no doubt that they would worry over it for days, if told.

"No, I _don't_ know. We are all used to you being a few minutes late for everything, Edmund, but making us wait a full hour…" his voice trailed off. "Are you unwell?"

Edmund shook his head. "No, I'm feeling fine."

"Then why were you late?"

Edmund was becoming annoyed at Peter's insistence in demanding why he slept later than usual. Peter should know, why. He was there while Edmund was awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, because of troubling dreams. Continuing to question silly, excusable matters was not normal for Peter. Edmund wondered if something was bothering his brother. He made a mental note of asking Peter, privately, some time that day.

He knew Peter and the girls were waiting impatiently for his answer, so he finally spoke. "Nightmares." He mumbled.

"Oh." Peter replied.

Lucy became worried, just as he had suspected. "Nightmares?"

"Edmund, when did this begin?" Susan asked. All eyes were on him.

"A few months ago." Edmund sighed. "It's nothing to worry about; really."

That obviously did not convince his siblings, but the issue was not discussed any further.

Breakfast ended in silence, just as it had begun.

A sense of gloom and worry settled over the entire household, when a few hours later, during fencing practice, Edmund retired to his chambers, complaining of dizziness and the return of a brutal headache.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Secrets**

Edmund was lying in his bed resting when he heard a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" he questioned.

"It's me, Peter."

"Come in."

The door opened slowly revealing Edmund's blonde haired, blue eyed older brother.

"Ed, I need to speak with you."

Edmund sat up in his bed. "Aren't you speaking to me, now?" he joked as he gave Peter a grin.

Peter was not smiling.

"Ed, I need you to listen to me."

The tone of Peter's voice was enough to cause Edmund's heart to pound.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Edmund asked, yet dreading the answer.

Peter looked down and sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to tell you this."

Now, Edmund was _really_ worried.

"I'm listening." He replied.

"A maid found this in your room, early this morning, lying on the floor, while you were still sleeping." His face grave and his eyes serious, Peter handed Edmund a folded up piece of paper.

With trembling hands, Edmund slowly unfolded it.

It was a letter from Baragorn, a black dwarf, unloyal to the kings and queens and unfaithful to Aslan. In short, Baragorn was a trouble maker.

Edmund began reading:

**King Edmund the Just:**

**Sire, I am writing this letter as a confirmation for our little arrangement. I thank Your Majesty for the wanted information- it will be most useful to the Calormenes, who I am sure will pay a much desirable sum for it. If it will please Your Highness to meet me in Lantern Waste tomorrow evening, I would be very honored indeed. Your payment awaits, My Lord.**

**Your Loyal Subject,**

**Baragorn**

Edmund's blood ran cold. The letter fell to the ground as he faced his brother, the High King.

Peter's eyes were full of pain and hurt. "Am I to believe that you have been selling military information to the Calormenes for jewels?"

Edmund could not speak.

"If you have nothing to say in defense… then, you might very well be guilty of treachery."

Peter sadly turned to leave the room when Edmund managed to call out.

"Pete!"

His brother turned back around and faced him once again at the sound of that one simple word.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Edmund?" Peter questioned, his tone cold and empty.

Edmund cringed at the way Peter said his name.

"Surely, you do not believe this foolery!" The accused gasped out.

"Have you given me reason not to believe it?" Peter challenged him.

"Pete… after all we've been through together, you don't trust me, your brother?" Edmunds eyes held a glint of pain as he waited for his brother's answer.

"You have betrayed us before. What reason do I have to believe you would not betray us again."

Edmund's face shown disbelief and horror.

"Must you bring the past up? Aslan said that what's done is done. I was young, Peter. I was foolish. I have not made that mistake again. Have I not proved myself, yet? I fought right beside you in every battle. _Every_ battle, Pete! I nursed you to health when you were sick with the fever. I helped Susan daily with archery practice. I tucked Lucy into bed when you could not, busy with kingly duties. Would I do those things for naught? Would I do those things, only to betray you all, once more? Do you think that I have no love in my heart, only traitorous greed? Well, you are wrong. You may be the High King and you may be right almost always, but this is an exception. For once, you are wrong, Pete, and I do not hesitate to say so."

Peter watched his brother, looking into his eyes with a steady gaze, full of truthfulness and boldness.

"Then, I believe you." Peter stated simply.

Those words meant more to Edmund than anything in his entire life.

His brother trusted him.

It was worth it all just to see the faithfulness in Peter's eyes, the unconditional love, and the relief that his brother spoke the truth.

"Is that what was bothering you, this morning, Pete?" Edmund asked. "Were you troubled with the thought that your brother was a traitor?"

Peter nodded, shame written all over his kingly face.

"I was wrong, Edmund. I was so wrong."

The two brothers embraced and the letter was immediately thrown into the flickering flames of Edmund's fireplace, forgotten and unheeded but for only a little while.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Betrayal**

Life went on for the Royalties of castle Cair Paravel- uneventful and dull. Edmund still was unable to leave the memory of last week behind. He sensed foul play was afoot. His sisters remained clueless of the possible threat surrounding their beloved home. Peter remained shut up in his study poring over bills and decrees of various kinds. Normally, that was Edmund's job, but this time Peter asked for no assistance. As Edmund strode through the large hallway of the castle, he could hear his two sisters whispering in conspiratorial tones. When he rounded the next turn, he passed by Susan's room; the door was wide open and he could see Susan and Lucy sitting side by side on the bed smiling and laughing. He grinned and knocked on the outside wall as he peeped his head in. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not, Ed." Susan answered, her clear blue eyes twinkling with laughter.

Lucy nodded in reply, a large smile framing her freckled face.

Susan patted on an empty place on the bed. "Do sit down."

Edmund made his way over to where his sisters' sat and plopped down with a sigh.

"That was a very hopeless sigh, Edmund." Lucy noted.

Lucy never missed a thing.

"There is just so much troubling me. I feel like I don't even know Peter anymore. He stays holed up in his stuffy old study all day and all night only coming out for meals and even then he doesn't say a single word. I just can't place my finger on what's troubling him."

The minute Edmund finished speaking, he regretted every word. There was no reason to burden his sisters with more problems. They already knew something was bothering Peter; he did not need to remind them.

"I'm sorry." Edmund apologized. "It's not my place to tell you those sorts of things. You don't need to hear of all my worries and woes."

Susan placed her slender arm around her brother's shoulder. "It's quite understandable, Ed. You're worried and have no one else to confide in. Lucy and I are always here to listen.'

Edmund smiled at them gratefully.

"Thanks."

An hour later, Edmund headed to the stables to visit Philip, his trustworthy horse. He found him munching on oats. Edmund walked into Philip's stall and began petting him. "How are you, Philip?" He asked, expecting an answer, for Philip was a talking horse. A talking animal was not rare at all in Narnia.

"I am well, my king." The horse answered in his dignified voice, unexpected of an animal.

Edmund rolled his eyes. "Philip, you know that there is no need for formality with me. You have been in my services long enough to refer to me by my given name."

Philip snorted, tossing his chestnut mane, "I see how it is. Now, I am merely _another horse_ in your service."

"And my friend." Edmund added with a grin.

Their conversation was halted by the stable doors opening, though 'opening' was not the correct word to describe it. It looked more like the doors were being slammed open. Suddenly, in walked Peter, looking serious and livid with rage.

"Edmund!" He shouted. "I need to speak to you, this instant!"

"Sorry, old boy." Edmund gave Philip one last pat. "Duty calls."

Edmund reluctantly walked out of the stall and towards his seething older brother.

"What is it, Pete?" He asked, wondering what happened to make his brother so angry.

"By the Lion, I will get to the bottom of this if that is the last thing I do!" Peter replied.

"Get to the bottom of what?" Edmund questioned, confused beyond belief.

"This!" Peter yelled as he held out a bright red ruby gleaming from the rays of sunlight coming from the opened stable doors and windows on both sides.

"This, too." He stated more calmly with gritted teeth as this time he held out a piece of unfolded parchment paper.

_More trouble._ Edmund said to himself as he inwardly groaned.

He was _not_ looking forward to reading the contents of that letter.

Edmund snatched the letter hanging from Peter's fist and took a deep breath before reading:

**King Edmund the Just:**

**Sire, the Tisroc, may he live forever, and his son, Prince Rabadash, express their immense appreciation at the information you gave us. I hope that the payment was sufficient, Your Majesty. If not, we can arrange a delivery for more of those wonderful red delicacies we find in the mines. The Tisroc, may he live forever, has further plans to discuss with you. How will you manage sending the High King to him without assistance? Should I send for a party of soldiers to aide in the kidnapping or are you better off handling it on your own? Once again, I express my sincere thanks for the information on behalf of myself and the Calormenes and hope for more to come. I will be anxiously awaiting your reply, My King.**

**Your Loyal Subject,**

**Baragorn**

Edmund was seething with rage. "This is preposterous! Where did you receive this- this treacherous document? Please tell me that you don't believe these lies!"

Peter's angry look told him otherwise.

"Edmund, this is the second time pamphlets of a treacherous intent were found in your chambers."

Edmund vented his frustration and anger with his words, "What have the maids been doing? Going through my desk and chest of drawers searching for more evidence to be used against me? How do you know that it wasn't planted there?"

"Edmund, the soldiers have captured Baragorn. He says that he can testify against you and that everything that we found was true."

Peter watched his brother's face turn from outrage to disbelief.

"You're joking." He stated.

Peter shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid I'm not. If Baragorn calls in any more witnesses who can testify against you, then you must face the consequences."

"Consequences for what?" Edmund gasped out.

"Treachery, betrayal, planning to kidnap the High King and send him to enemies."

"You really believe that dim-wit? He is most likely making it all up to taint my reputation because he doesn't like me. We already know that he doesn't like any of us!"

Peter continued, unheeding what Edmund had just said, "The dwarf claims that he has other witnesses, those that saw the exchanges in the forest between you and Baragorn."

"What! How is that possible? I promise you, brother, that I have never met with the dwarf, Baragorn, and I have never committed the crimes of which I am accused!" Edmund shouted in defense.

Peter still was unconvinced.

"We are to appear in council tomorrow morning at 10 o' clock. The dwarf's witnesses will be gathered there, ready to testify, and as custom in the meetings of the counsels, the elders will decide if you are guilty of the crimes so listed."

"What of the consequences?" Edmund questioned.

Peter did not answer but instead turned around and walked away.

Edmund did not need an answer. He already knew.

The High King always appointed sentences to criminals. Edmund also knew another thing- the only punishment for the crimes he was accused of was death.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Meeting of the Council**

Insulting.

That is what Edmund thought of the council meeting that day.

He was led by two guards into the council room, unbound, for he was still a king, though he did not know if he would be king for much longer. In the large room, the ten elders sat on smaller versions of the king's throne, watching his arrival. As he walked slowly towards the center of the room, he glanced at the man before him- High King Peter, his brother. Of course, in a council meeting, family or friend relationships were unheeded, to avoid favoritism in decisions. Edmund knew that in that meeting, Peter was his king and not his brother.

Peter sat on a large throne, set higher than the others, in the center of the room on the opposite end of the door. He sat in his kingly attire, crown and all, facing his younger brother- the accused. Edmund thought that it was quite unlike his usually trusting brother to bring the case to the counsel. Peter had not even listened to his explanations and repeated plea that it was all a lie. The High King normally took the time to think the matter over before pursuing legal action; especially when the accused was his only brother. The whole mess had Edmund in a state of shock and disbelief.

Edmund was grateful that Peter had forbid an audience to attend the meeting that day to prevent further embarrassment for the throne. Even Susan and Lucy were not allowed to watch. For that, Edmund was thankful, for he did not want to see the expressions on his beloved sisters' faces when they heard of his said crimes and the announcement of his sentence.

The large wooden doors slammed shut behind him, echoing throughout the entire room. Edmund winced at the silence surrounding him.

All eyes were fixed upon him.

They had no choice but to wait for the signal from the High King.

They did not need to wait long.

Peter began in his strong, clear voice that wavered occasionally at the realization that he was heading the meeting that would condemn his own brother.

"Elders of Narnia, I thank you all, today, for attending this meeting and aiding me in determining the guilt of the accused."

Peter sounded anything but thankful as his voice began to crack at the word 'accused'. He took a deep breath and continued,

"King Edmund the Just is accused of betrayal, treason, revealing confidential military information to the enemy, and planning to kidnap the High King, only to hand him over to the Calormenes. King Edmund, what say you to these charges?"

Edmund looked around at the council members as he spoke, avoiding the hurt gaze of his brother.

"My King, Members of the Council, I plead not guilty for these charges. I have never even met the witness, the dwarf, Baragorn, much less met with him exchanging military information for jewels. Have I not fought alongside the Narnians as their king, their leader? Have I not strove to earn the trust of every loyal subject in the kingdom? Was not I also crowned king, by Aslan, Himself? Would Aslan make a mistake in crowning a leader? I think not, my friends. Furthermore, if Aslan knew that I would rule, only to betray you all, once more, than why would I be crowned? Are you doubting the judgment of Aslan? Let it not be so, my lords, for I would rather be condemned to die than to have Narnia doubt the True Ruler of all."

Once Edmund's plea was concluded, Peter spoke once more.

"Is there nothing further you wish to say in your defense?"

Edmund shook his head as he faced his brother. "That is all, Your Majesty."

Peter looked at the members of the council.

"Then let us begin."

He addressed one of the four guards standing by the closed doors.

"Guard, bring in the dwarf, Baragorn."

The guard bowed, opened the heavy wooden doors, and disappeared into the darkness.

All was silent in the counsel room until the guard returned bringing in a bound dwarf, with his dark eyes averted and his black beard dragging on the stone floor. The guard roughly placed him down next to Edmund. Edmund avoided looking at the man that had brought trouble upon him, his household, and all of Narnia.

The King addressed Baragorn.

"Baragorn the dwarf, have you seen the accused before?" He asked motioning with an open palm towards Edmund.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Baragorn answered in a deep, solemn voice.

"Have you met or conversed with the accused before?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The dwarf repeated.

"Will you, please, tell the counsel and myself of those times you met with the accused?"

"It would be an honor, Sire." The dwarf answered with a small grin that passed unnoticed by every man in the room.

Edmund looked at the floor, his heart pounding wildly as he listened to the dwarf begin.

"The first time I met with King Edmund, was in the woods near Lantern Waste. I had no inkling of what he was doing there. I was on my way to the mines. He saw me and called out my name. I was surprised, as to be expected, that the Just King of Narnia was calling out to me by name. Well, he told me that he knew I was in league with the Calormenes and had a vast number of jewels that I had uncovered in the mines. I was taken aback, thinking no one had known, but answered truthfully. How the young king replied, surprised me beyond belief. He wanted to know if I would be interested in exchanging jewels for military information to be passed onto the Tisroc, may he live forever. Knowing that passing on useful military information to the Calormenes came with pay, I hastily agreed and the deal was made. He gave me the plans for Castle Cair Paravel and pointed out the secret passages and hideaways that no one, not even the young queens knew about. Only he and the High King knew of these secret places in the castle. I, in exchange, promised to give him a ruby that I had recently found while working, but unfortunately that was at my home, so I agreed to send him a private confirmation letter of our next meeting so that he could receive his pay."

The dwarf was interrupted by King Peter's stately voice.

"Guards bring in the letter."

The guards disappeared for a moment and returned with a folded up piece of paper, one that Edmund thought to be long gone in the ashes among his fire place. The men brought it to their Sovereign and strode back to their posts by the doors.

"This letter, sitting in my hands, is a copy of the original, discovered by the maids in King Edmund's bed chambers early last week. The original was thrown into the fire- a folly of my own."

Edmund cringed as he remembered the incident of last week.

It was all a lie. Peter never really trusted him. It had been a sham.

He felt used, betrayed.

Edmund dreaded the rest of the meeting, as he stone facedly listened to his brother continue.

"This letter contains very same words in the original confirmation letter which the dwarf, standing here today, sent the accused. Elder Maiven, would you do me the honor of reading the body of evidence sitting in my hand?"

Elder Maiven stood up and bowed. "It would be an honor, Sire."

The long legged, thin, pale man had always reminded Edmund of a giant spider.

The Elder scurried to retrieve the letter from King Peter and shuffled back to his seat where he remained standing. His high, whining voice narrated the first letter found in Edmund's room, reminding him where to meet Baragorn, once more, so that he could receive his pay.

Edmund cringed for the third time so far, as he listened to that loathsome letter being read. His face turned red with embarrassment, so he decided to remain looking at the hard, stone floor.

Once, the Elder was finished, a small sigh of relief escaped Edmund's trembling lips.

The Elder returned the letter to Peter, who gave it to a guard for safe-keeping, and then the Elder sat back down, ready to listen.

"Please continue." The king told the dwarf.

Baragorn dipped his head slightly in reply before continuing his narrative,

"King Edmund agreed to meet me in Lantern Waste once more to receive his pay- the ruby. It was there that he mentioned the kidnapping of Your Majesty. He was wondering if a large sum of money or jewels would be paid to him for the handing over of the High King to the Tisroc, may he live forever. Of course, I learned from the previous times that I had delivered military information to the Calormenes that it does not come without its pay, so I could just imagine how much I would receive for handing over the High King for their captive. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Peter did not look very forgiving as he sat up straight, waiting for the dwarf to continue.

"I told King Edmund, there at Lantern Waste, that I would send him yet another letter delving deeper into the plans for the kidnapping. He agreed and was gone in minutes."

Edmund wanted to shout out in his defense; to proclaim that it was all a lie, but he did not want to risk being thrown out of court; not with his life at stake.

Peter spoke to the guard once more.

"Guard, please bring in the second letter and the jewel."

The guard bowed and disappeared once more, returning a few minutes later with another piece of parchment paper and a bright red ruby, gleaming from the sunlight streaming in from the glass windows.

Edmund knew what was coming.

The guard walked up to Peter handing him the objects which he had retrieved, and returned to his post by the large double doors.

Peter spoke once more.

"Once again, I have with me, yet another letter found in Edmund's bed chambers, yesterday afternoon. With the letter, a ruby was found- the said payment from the dwarf, Baragorn, who stands here before us. Elder Corikin, would you please do us all the honor of reading this second letter?"

The fair haired, middle aged faun stood up and answered Peter.

"It would be a pleasure, my King."

His hooves pitter-pattered across the stone floor as he received the second letter from the High King, and returned back to his seat, though he remained standing.

The faun's clear, strong voice reverberated throughout the entire room as he read the second letter Peter used to accuse Edmund with, the previous day in the stables.

As the letter went on, Edmund continued to avoid the eyes of anyone in the room, especially the troublesome dwarf standing beside him, in chains.

As ritual, the faun returned the letter to Peter and sat back down.

Peter spoke, pertaining to the read letter.

"As you heard from this letter, the accused received his pay, a ruby, at the last meeting. Consequently, a ruby was found beside the letter, yesterday, under King Edmund's desk. The very ruby found, sits in the palm of my hand."

He held it up for all to see.

"Baragorn is that all of your testimony?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Was the solemn reply.

"Do you have any witnesses that saw the exchanges between yourself and the accused?"

"Yes, Sire." The Dwarf answered.

Peter addressed the guards for the fourth time, since the meeting first began.

"Bring in the witnesses." He demanded.

The guards bowed, exited out the doors, and minutes later, reentered with a hag and a minotaur.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**The Dwarf's Witnesses**

Edmund watched as the horrific creatures strode into the room, unbound, yet flanked by four armed guards. The dwarf was dismissed and led out of the room; the two witnesses took Baragorn's place standing next to Edmund.

Edmund subtly exercised his leg muscles as the two witnesses were walking into the counsel room. His legs ached after standing for such a long amount of time and his body yearned for a soft, cushioned chair to recline in. He greedily watched his older brother lean back in his comfortable throne, wishing that he was also overseeing the meeting alongside his brother as was his usual duty, but instead, he was on the opposite side- the accused.

Peter cleared his throat and faced the creatures standing in the middle of the room, only a few feet away from Edmund.

The guards prodded them a few feet ahead, so that Edmund saw only their backs and so that he was out of their sight during each of their testimonies.

"Hag, what are you called?" The High King asked the hideous, bent over and deformed creature, slightly resembling a woman in the facial features and her high pitched voice.

"They call me Makiah, Sire." The old hag stated in her raspy voice, her earth brown cape falling around her frail grotesque form, the hood hanging down behind her almost hairless head.

"Have you seen the accused before?" He asked Makiah.

"I have, Your Majesty." The hag answered.

"Have you witnessed exchanges or meetings between the dwarf, Baragorn, and King Edmund?"

"I have seen them meet once, my Lord."

"Will you please tell the council and myself what you saw or heard between the dwarf and the accused?" Peter asked.

"Gladly so, my King." The hag replied before beginning her testimony.

"I was headed my dwelling among the caves in Lantern Waste when I happened upon the dwarf and the young prince."

"It is _king_, actually." Peter interrupted.

"What is it you said, my Lord?"

"It is _King_ Edmund, not prince."

Makiah looked at him in confusion and bewilderment.

"I know. It's rather confusing. I am the High King whereas Edmund is only a king, though he still has equal rights and privileges as mine. Excuse my interruption. Please continue." King Peter stated.

Edmund suppressed a grin in amusement at his brother's light banter with the hag.

_That_ sounded more like the Peter he knew.

The hag nodded in reply to what the High King had said before continuing.

"I heard bits and pieces of their conversation as I neared their hiding place among the trees. King Edmund seemed very angry and for what reason I knew not. The dwarf, Baragorn, stuttered and apologized again and again, saying that he would bring the payment to their next meeting. As I walked closer towards them, the two separated."

"Is that all for your testimony?" Peter asked the hag.

"Yes, Sire."

Two of the four guards standing by the doors, stepped forward and escorted Makiah out of the council room.

Edmund watched the large back of the minotaur and hoped that his testimony would end with no problems.

The large irritable creatures with a bull's head and a man's body were prone to become angry very quickly.

Thankfully, Peter knew to choose his words carefully.

"Sir, what is your name?" The High King decided to address the creature standing before him with respect, out of fear of his temper tantrums.

The minotaur answered in a deep, bellowing voice.

"Oren, Your Majesty."

"Have you witnessed a meeting between King Edmund and the dwarf, Baragorn?"

"I have."

"Would you please tell us of that incident?"

"Of course, My King."

Edmund dreaded what was to come.

Oren began in his strong, bass voice,

"I was on my way home after visiting a friend, a faun in fact, as many of them are known to inhabit Lantern Waste. As I walked to my companion's cave, I noticed King Edmund and Baragorn standing in a secluded section of the wood and talking quietly. I heard nothing of their conversation, because I was not close enough, but I noticed that King Edmund was showing a sort of map to the dwarf before they shook hands and went their separate ways."

"Is that all, Oren?"

"Yes, Sire."

"What time of day was it when you witnessed the exchange between King Edmund and the dwarf?"

"Around midnight, My Liege."

"You were out visiting a friend at midnight?" The High King raised his eyebrows in skepticism.

The minotaur nodded. "He had a few other friends join us and I did not arrive until late evening, so it would be common courtesy for me to stay longer than the rest."

Peter nodded in agreement.

Edmund and Peter both knew that it was common etiquette in Narnia to stay at a guest's home as long as possible.

"Thank you, Oren." Peter said with a warm smile to the large minotaur.

"It was a pleasure to be of service, King Peter." Oren attempted to clumsily bow and then left the room with the two guards.

Edmund was then left standing by himself in the middle of the room with all eyes upon him once more.

Peter leaned forward in his throne as he asked another question, though this time it was for Edmund to answer.

"Is there anything else you wish to say in defense?"

"Yes, My Lord."

Edmund looked around at the ten Elders of Narnia as he began, hoping that his skill as a diplomat would help him in his last plea that day.

"Elders of Narnia, I ask you all to greatly consider the witnesses. Do you trust the word of a hag and a minotaur against your king's? Are not the two creatures testifying before you today, the descendents of those or the very same creatures that fought alongside the witch in the Battle of Beruna? Why heed the words that come out of the mouths of evil beings? Once more, I declare myself innocent against the crimes so listed and I will continue saying so until my death."

Edmund's last words hauntingly lingered throughout the entire room.

He was satisfied that he had made his point known.

"Is there nothing further you wish to say?" Peter asked him.

"No, Your Majesty."

"Now, you will be escorted out of the room as the Elders and I deliberate the outcome of your case."

In reply to King Peter's words, two guards stepped up and led Edmund out of the room.

Now, it was only a waiting game.

After an hour of restlessness and waiting, Edmund was summoned back into the council room. As he walked in, he tried to read the faces of the Elders so that he would be somewhat warned of his sentence. His footsteps echoed menacingly as if in opposition to the silence surrounding him. The guards left him, once more, in the center of the room and then returned to their posts outside the doors.

Edmund had no time to think for Peter began speaking almost immediately, as if wanting to finish it as soon as possible; Edmund knew that was probably what his brother was thinking, at that moment.

The High King spoke with an air of authority muffled slightly with a tone of sadness. His clear blue eyes shown worry and hurt.

Edmund prepared for the worst.

"This council has declared King Edmund the Just, Duke of Lantern Waste, Count of the Western March, and Knight of the Noble Order of the Table, innocent until further evidence proves his guilt. For the time being, King Edmund is to be held under house arrest, with twenty four hour guards at the entrance of his room, until further evidence is found. At no time will he be permitted to exit his room. His meals will be brought to him and any other needs will be supplied if asked of the guards. He will be allowed no communication with anyone besides the guards standing posts outside the doors of his bedchambers."

Peter looked directly at his brother as he continued,

"Are your orders understood?"

"They are, My King."

"Then you are dismissed."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**The Life of a Prisoner**

Edmund felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

His brother's words repeated over and over in his head.

"_For the time being, King Edmund is to be held under house arrest."_

Though it was not as horrible as he had imagined, it was almost as bad as death and exactly the same as banishment, besides the fact that he would continue living in Cair Paravel.

He did not know how he would live without seeing the bright, cheerful face of Lucy or without hearing motherly lectures from Susan.

Most importantly, he did not know what he would do without Peter comforting him after another brutal nightmare.

He was led back to his room and the door was bolted shut with two guards posted in the front of the wooden structures.

He was a prisoner.

"The Elders decided on _what_!"

Peter could tell from the tone of Lucy's voice that she was not happy.

Susan sat at the dining table, grim and stoic, showing no emotion, as though she was one of the White Witch's stone statues.

"Peter already told you what they decided, Lucy. I would rather him not repeat it." Susan said quietly as she stared at her hands folded in her lap.

Peter was thankful for his sister's intervention.

He did not want to repeat it, either.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Lucy questioned defensively.

"What could I do, Lu?" Peter asked helplessly.

"You could not have brought it to the council in the first place." Lucy harshly replied.

Peter glanced at Susan and by seeing the hurt in her deep blue eyes, he knew that she agreed with Lucy.

"How is it that you trust the testimony of a minotaur and a hag, against the pleas of your only brother?" Susan responded, her voice full of confusion and disbelief.

"You just don't understand do you?" Peter raised his voice as he continued, "All of the evidence and testimonies of the witnesses lined up together! What was I suppose to have thought?"

"Did Edmund not deny it?" Lucy wondered.

"He denied it every chance he got." Peter answered quietly.

"Then why did you not believe him?"

"I- I don't know." Peter replied with a small sigh.

"Don't you still have a chance to refute the sentence of the council?" Susan continued Lucy's questioning.

"Yes, Peter. I'm sure that you still have time." Lucy added. "You most certainly have the authority to undo the sentence."

Peter slammed his fist on the table as he abruptly stood up, forcing his chair back a few inches.

"I have had enough of these ridiculous questions! Edmund is guilty and there is no denying it!"

The High King stormed out of the room, leaving his sisters shocked and confused.

Lucy softly asked the question nagging the minds of both of them.

"What is happening to our family?"

Edmund sat hopelessly on his bed trying to make sense of the recent events.

Everything seemed to be going wrong so quickly.

He could not believe that it had only been three days since his brother first wrongly accused him of treachery. Now, he was a prisoner in his own castle unable to speak with or see his beloved sisters and especially his older brother. Something was not right in their household- and he was going to investigate the problems, with or without permission.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**A Discussion and an Investigation**

Susan and Lucy sat at the dining room table in bewilderment at what had just occurred. They were not used to Peter lashing out or yelling in anger- at least not to them. That was something he did in battle or when a fellow Narnian was being treated unfairly, though even then, Peter usually managed to maintain a calm countenance.

Lucy spoke through the silence. "Susan, should we go talk somewhere private?"

Susan nodded and both sisters exited the room and entered Susan's bedroom.

Lucy began the discussion,

"What do you think is wrong with Peter?"

Edmund laid out before him the map of Cair Paravel, complete with the secret passages and doors that only he and Peter knew about.

He had a plan and would put it into action the next chance he had.

Edmund got up from his oak writing desk and leaned against the large wooden double doors that led outside into the halls of the castle. He listened for the sounds of the two guards posted outside his door and for possible conversation, but heard nothing. He was almost sure that he heard the two guards snoring outside the doors. To double-check his hypothesis, he knocked soundly on the doors and listened closely for any sound from the outside. Again, no sound was heard. He had a strong feeling that the guards posted outside the doors were asleep. Eager to put his investigation into action, Edmund strode towards his bedroom window, near his bed. He grabbed a rope hidden in his closet, and threw it out the window, watching it sway in the wind, before tying it to his bedpost and climbing out, clutching the rope tightly.

Susan sighed quietly before answering Lucy's question.

"Honestly, I am not sure what is ailing our brother these days. He seems so out of touch with reality and with us. Now, he has Edmund banished to his bedroom with twenty four hour guards, as if he were a criminal. I believe that he has taken this case too far, too quickly. The letters and the ruby found in Edmund's room could have been planted there, and the witnesses testifying against him, could have been paid to say things to prove him guilty. Peter is trusting a little bit of evidence and a few witnesses, more than he should. It just is not like him. He has never acted in haste, before, especially in the midst of making an important decision; and this time, his decision affects Edmund."

Lucy nodded in agreement, thankful that Susan had the same fears involving their brothers, as she did.

"It seems as if Peter goes from being jovial and fun to solemn and hurt and then to angry and irritable. He has never acted like that, before. He seems so… so different."

"Tell me about." Susan muttered. "I think something is bothering him and he has not trusted anyone with that information."

"You mean that he doesn't trust _us_, either?"

Susan shrugged. "I don't know anything about Peter, these days. None of us do."

Edmund held his breath as he crawled down the sturdy rope tied to his bedpost, hoping the darkness of the evening and his black cloak would camouflage his less practical kingly attire underneath. He carefully avoided hitting any of the castle walls or windows.

He did not need any attention drawn to himself.

He was _supposed_ to be holed up in his stuffy bedroom. If it wasn't for the map of the castle, he would still be there. He softly dropped down the remaining few feet to solid ground and quietly made his way to the courtyard. He stopped short as he glanced around the corner, when he noticed guards surrounding the doors.

"I should have known." He muttered to himself and turned back around, heading for the back of the castle once more. Once there, he skimmed his hands over the rough walls until he found what he was looking for.

"Perfect."

Edmund disappeared behind a door camouflaged in the stone castle's interior.

Peter strode swiftly to his bedchamber and slammed the door shut.

Why had he acted out in anger to his sisters? They were doing no harm.

Why had he condemned Edmund to house arrest? Why had he even taken the case to council?

Peter shook his head.

No; he was still angry. Women had no business asking never-ending questions. They deserved to be reproved.

As for, Edmund… well, he was guilty. There was no other option.

Peter sat on his bed, his head in his hands, confused and wearied by the many different thoughts drifting around in his mind.

_Almost there. _

Edmund thought as he walked through the tunnel, torch in his hand, lighting the dark way ahead. He was thankful for the torch being placed at the beginning of the tunnel and was relieved that he had brought a flint and a firestone with him to light the torch.

He knew that the tunnel would lead him to another, which would lead to a hidden staircase. The hidden staircase lead to a secret door in Peter's bedroom. Edmund would wait until he knew Peter was asleep and sneak into the room to investigate. There was a reason his brother was acting so oddly and he was going to find out why.

That was his plan.

"What should we do?" Lucy wondered. "I feel so helpless."

"We can't do anything, really." Susan replied. "Besides wait and hope for the best."

Both of them knew that waiting was not the best plan, but neither spoke against it.

"What do you think Edmund is doing, now?" Asked Lucy wistfully.

"Knowing him, he certainly is not sulking over his misfortune." Susan answered with a small smile.

"No." Lucy said with a laugh. "He is probably planning what he will do when he is proven innocent and is released."

"_If_ he is proven innocent." Susan added.

"Oh, Susan! Don't say that, please." Lucy implored.

"Lucy, we need to face reality. We must be prepared for the worst."

"I know." Lucy sighed. "I suppose I want to keep believing that Edmund is not guilty." She turned to her sister. "Susan, I just know Edmund didn't do those horrible things he is accused of!"

"How do you know?"

"I know Edmund." Lucy turned back around on Susan's bed, facing the door. "He has tried so hard to make up for his past, that I don't believe he would do it only to betray us all, again."

"I'm sure that you're right, as always." Susan said with a grin, "We should trust him more, shouldn't we?"

Lucy gave a small nod.

Suddenly, she jerked her body towards Susan.

"Did you hear that?"

Susan shook her head. "No."

"Listen." Lucy whispered.

The two of them sat in silence for several seconds before they heard the quiet, melodious noise of footsteps.

"It might be a servant." Susan asked.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "Susan, the servants are all in bed, by seven o' clock and they are not allowed out of their quarters until the morning. It's almost midnight, now. Don't be ridiculous!"

"Servants occasionally disobey orders." Susan replied unconvincingly, her tone wavering slightly.

"Not ours." Lucy corrected.

Susan nodded.

They both knew that the servants of Cair Paravel were far too loyal and trustworthy to disobey their commands. They treated the servants well and in return expected obedience. A servant had not rebelled or failed to obey in all the six years they had reigned over Narnia.

"There it is, again." Whispered Lucy. "Please tell me that you heard it, this time!"

"I heard it."

"Shall we investigate?" Lucy asked with excitement in her voice and a note of sarcasm.

"I don't know, Lucy." Susan's answer was expected, being the root of Lucy's sarcasm.

"Come on." Lucy grabbed Susan's arm, being quite strong for a fifteen year old girl, and led her out of the room and into the hallway upstairs, where all of their bedrooms were located. On the far end, they spotted the two guards posted in front of Edmund's bedchambers, sound asleep.

"So much for good security." Lucy spoke softly.

"How about_ I_ stay in the room and _you_ investigate?" Susan suggested as she scanned the large corridor for intruders.

Susan was known for shying away from any threat or danger, whereas Lucy was the adventurous one.

"Since I know that I cannot persuade you to do otherwise… fine."

Susan smiled at her sister's remark.

They knew each other well.

Minutes later, Lucy was left by herself, standing in the middle of the hallway, listening for any sound.

There it was again.

Lucy followed the sound of the footsteps into the library.

Suddenly, the double doors swung shut behind her.

"Su-!" Her implore for her sister, was muffled by a hand placed over her mouth.

"None of that." A man's voice said as he slowly removed his hand.

Lucy knew that voice.

"Edmund?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Shush! You don't want to wake the whole castle do you?" Edmund asked his younger sister.

Lucy grinned. "I don't think I am capable of doing that, Ed."

Edmund arched a dark eyebrow with a smile on his face. "Are you sure about that?" He teased.

"I thought that you were under house arrest?" Lucy asked him.

"I am." Edmund admitted.

Lucy had to laugh at her brother's ridiculous boldness.

"Then why are you, here?"

Edmund shrugged. "I needed to find out the truth."

Lucy facial expression quickly became serious. "The truth about what?"

"Peter."

"Oh." Lucy stated in a tone of realization. "How did you interrogate, _this_ time?"

"Don't you mean, what did you find out?"

Lucy nodded, rolling her eyes, as she waited for her brother to continue.

He paused.

"Well," Lucy prodded. "Go on."

"You might want to sit down."

Lucy glanced at him questioningly as she took a seat on a nearby sofa, after groping for it in the darkness, for a few minutes.

Edmund clasped his hands together and then separated them and swung them. He finally decided to leave them at his sides, though not for long, because he used hand motions when he talked.

"Have you wondered why Peter has been acting so strangely?" He asked.

"Susan and I were just talking about it in her bedroom a few minutes before you startled me to death."

Edmund grinned.

"Sorry about that, Lu."

"It's alright. I wasn't _too _frightened." Lucy added with a small laugh.

"Please continue." She implored. "You're leaving me hanging!"

Edmund sighed.

"Alright. There's a map of Cair Paravel that only Peter and I have copies of. It contains the locations of secret passages and hidden staircases and such."

"Well, thanks for telling _me_ about it!" Lucy interrupted, with an underlying tone of sarcasm in her voice.

"Anyways, I escaped my perpetual prison…"

Lucy giggled and Edmund glared.

"Sorry." She muttered, stifling another laugh.

Edmund continued.

"I will now ignore all untimely interruptions. Now, as I was saying, I left my bedroom by a rope and climbed down."

"The guards were asleep, you know." Lucy interrupted once more.

"I heard." Edmund answered. "I entered one of the secret doors on the side of Cair Paravel, and entered a tunnel which eventually led to Peter's room. I hoped to do a bit of investigating."

"You _hoped_? Did you ever actually burglarize his room?"

"First of all, I didn't _burglarize_ Peter's room, I-."

"You just ransacked it without his knowledge." Lucy finished for him with a cheeky grin.

"I _searched_ his room for any threats." Edmund corrected.

"Threats?"

"You know, what I mean." Edmund said with a sigh of frustration.

"Do I?"

"Threats such as a man or woman plotting to murder him in his bed or dementing his brain with their wicked antagonistic ideas or holding him at knife-point demanding for him to give them access to the royal treasury, or they would burn the castle down." Edmund expounded.

Lucy paused for a moment to let Edmund's previous response digest.

"Oh. _Those_ sort of threats."

Susan could not stop worrying. What hadn't Lucy returned yet? Had she found something?

"If she is killed, I will blame it entirely on myself, as I was too cowardly to go with her." Susan reproved herself in the silence of her bedroom.

She glanced at the clock sitting on her bureau.

It was thirty minutes after midnight.

Lucy had left her only a few minutes after twelve o' clock.

She had been waiting much too long.

"Well, what did you find?" Lucy asked her brother in the darkness of the castle's library.

"Hold on. I'm getting there." Edmund replied. "Now, where was I… ah, yes. Peter was as still as a statue when I entered his bedroom through the hidden door. Of course, he was sound asleep, and we both know that he sleeps like a rock. He was dead to the world, snoring away, which thankfully masked my footsteps and other sounds I made, while sorting through his room."

"You mean, _pillaging_ through his room?"

"Will you stop that?"

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted, Peter didn't hear a thing, and that's probably good, because he would have called the guards in on me if he had woken up. Then, I would be in even deeper trouble, than I am already in, and would never have the chance to escape my priso-."

Edmund's sentence was cut off by the opening of the library doors.


	9. Chapter 9

A voice was heard in the darkness as the brother and sister knelt down behind the sofa.  
"There is no use hiding; I know that you are in here. _Both_ of you."  
Edmund answered.  
"Susan, can you shut the doors and stop talking so loudly?"  
Susan remained standing, staring at them with a firm look on her face.  
"Please?" Edmund mumbled.  
The doors creaked shut slowly and quietly.  
"Where you? I can't see a thing!"  
"Over here." Lucy offered to her sister.  
"Well, _that _certainly helps a lot!"  
After several minutes of groping about in the darkness and following the voices of her siblings, Susan managed to locate them.  
"What are you doing here, Edmund?"  
"I'm happy to see you, too."  
Susan sighed.  
Edmund finally answered her question, "I will tell you, presently. Both of you, please sit down."  
The girls obeyed as they plopped down on the sofa watching their brother stand before them.  
"Here we go, again." Lucy muttered.  
"I will start from the beginning."  
Edmund spent the next few minutes repeating to Susan, what he had previously told Lucy, minus the constant comments and interruptions.  
His youngest sister sat impatiently waiting for him to continue his narrative.  
"Did you find anything after you searched his room?" She asked.  
"Yes, Lucy." Edmund answered in frustration. "I was just about to say what I found out."  
He paused for effect.  
"Well?" Susan urged him to continue.  
"I discovered a goblet by his bedside, which had contained water. I noticed that a putrid odor wafted from it."  
He looked into the eyes of each of his sisters.  
"Our brother is being poisoned."  
Susan and Lucy looked back at their brother in disbelief.  
"You're joking." Susan stated.  
Edmund shook his head.  
"Who would do such a thing?" Lucy asked.  
"Anyone. A king cannot always know who his enemies are. The perpetrator could have been a foe, posing as a friend. You never know."  
"So the poison is the reason for his recent behavior?" Susan wondered.  
"Precisely." Edmund stated. "My hypothesis is that the poison begins by slowly destroying the brain. The only physical symptoms are headaches and fatigue- nothing very obvious. That is why it's not surprising that I have not suspected this before. The detiorating of the brain causes rash decision making and confusion, amongst other mental defects."  
"That's awful! The villain must be hung!" Lucy said vehemently.  
"I agree." Susan responded. "Do you know what poison was used?"  
Edmund plopped down in a cushioned chair across from the sofa his sisters sat on.  
"I placed my finger in the goblet and the remains of poison mixed in with drops of water made the water feel grainy. It stung when it made contact with my finger and afterwards it looked as if that area was burnt. Besides that, the only way the poison can be fatal is through ingesting it. In my studies, I learned of Colandier trees that contain fruits, similar to blueberries. If the fruit, which is called Brogis, is crushed and grounded, its sour taste cannot be detected, and if the ground up fruit is mixed in with liquid, its color blends into the drink, which is why Peter did not notice it in his water."  
"How do you know for sure that Peter is being poisoned by the Brogis fruit?" Susan questioned.  
Edmund answered her, "He has all of the symptoms, the mixture in his water has the same sour smell and grainy texture. Susan, I would not _guess_ on a matter as serious as this."  
"Is it... fatal?" Lucy asked in a quavering voice.  
The look on Edmund's face was enough to warn her of the seriousness of the situation.


End file.
